Group to discuss recreation, coastal projects in Crossroads

If you go

• WHEN: 3-5 p.m. Thursday

• WHERE: University of Houston-Victoria Multi-Purpose Room

• FOR MORE INFORMATION: Go to sabaypartnership.org.

The San Antonio Bay Partnership is hosting a public meeting Thursday at the University of Houston-Victoria to discuss a list of existing recreational facilities and potential coastal public access projects in the area.

The partnership is finalizing a Habitat Conservation Plan and a Coastal Public Access Plan for the San Antonio Bay System, San Antonio Bay Partnership facilitator James Dodson said.

The partnership is asking for public comment on the draft Coastal Public Access Plan, he said.

Many of the proposed projects do not yet have a source for funding, but including them in the plan helps the partnership to prioritize projects when the opportunity for funding arises, Dodson said.

"We didn't let funding stand in our way of potential projects," he said.

One of the projects that will be discussed is the development of Green Lake, a freshwater lake in Calhoun County named for its greenish waters. Calhoun County purchased the land in 2011 with a grant from the Coastal Impact Assistance Program. Dodson said the land will be open to the public in some fashion with a focus on conservation. The freshwater marsh is a habitat for waterfowl and colonial waterbirds.